Arts News

Minnesota Schools Invited to Participate in Poetry Out Loud Webinar is Wed, Oct 22 at 3 PM
News, Resources, 2025 Kristin Eggerling News, Resources, 2025 Kristin Eggerling

Minnesota Schools Invited to Participate in Poetry Out Loud Webinar is Wed, Oct 22 at 3 PM

Minnesota Schools Invited to Participate in Poetry Out Loud

Webinar to learn more is Wednesday, Oct 22 at 3 PM

Arts Enrichment Opportunity for High School Students

Poetry Out Loud is a national program that invites high school students to engage with poetry through memorization and performance. The program encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition. Students begin at the classroom, school, or local level, with winners advancing to regional and state competitions. State champions move on to the national finals, where more than $50,000 in awards and school or organizational stipends are distributed each year, including a $20,000 prize for the national champion.

Free curriculum materials are provided, including a poetry anthology, a comprehensive teacher’s guide, videos of student performances, lesson plans, and promotional and media resources.

Students develop public speaking skills, gain self-confidence, and deepen their understanding of literary history and contemporary life, while helping schools meet language arts education standards.

Poetry Out Loud is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the South Central Service Cooperative. It was created in 2005, and in its 20 year history has reached more than 4.5 million students and 85,000 teachers from 21,000 schools and organizations nationwide.

Interested in learning about how your school could participate in Poetry Out Loud?  A program overview and Q & A webinar will be held Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 3 PM

RSVP for the webinar

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NEA and Arts Midwest offer grants to theater companies for young audiences
Resources, News Kristin Eggerling Resources, News Kristin Eggerling

NEA and Arts Midwest offer grants to theater companies for young audiences

NEA and Arts Midwest Offer Theater Arts Opportunity for Young Audiences

Shakespeare in American Communities Opportunity

About Shakespeare in American Communities

Shakespeare in American Communities is a theater program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Through grants to theater companies, this program supports productions and educational activities for young audiences throughout the United States. Applicants can choose from two paths: Schools or Juvenile Justice. Grants range from $15,000 to $25,000 each.

What: Shakespeare in American Communities is a project-based, matching grant that helps theater companies and organizations bring Shakespeare and works inspired by Shakespeare to students.

When: The mandatory Intent to Apply is due January 25, with final applications due February 8, 2024, and funded projects must occur between August 2024 – July 2025.

Where: Nonprofit theater companies and organizations located across the United States and the Native nations that share this geography can apply.

Who: The schools program is available to theater companies producing a play that is a work written or inspired by Shakespeare, an adaption of Shakespeare’s text, or a production that incorporates scenes, monologues, and/or sonnets by Shakespeare, with related educational activities in partnership with schools. The Juvenile Justice program is available to nonprofit organizations providing Shakespeare educational activities in partnership with the Juvenile Justice System.

Ready to Apply?

Learn more about Shakespeare in American Communities, review eligibility requirements, and read the guidelines on Arts Midwest website. 

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